Alaska News

Home crowd gives boost to UAA volleyball player

For UAA volleyball player Robyn Burton, there is nothing quite like delivering a big kill shot in front of a UAA crowd she calls one of the best in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

"You can't explain it, you have to experience it for yourself," she said. "It empowers you so much. You can just feel like a surge of energy come up through your entire body."

The sophomore from Eagle River will look to boost the Seawolves' energy level tonight at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, where UAA plays its first home match of the season in its GNAC opener against Western Oregon at 7 p.m.

Burton said the combination of her always enthusiastic teammates and a crowd that relishes somebody ripping a spike to the floor creates instant momentum, possibly turning one big kill into three or four more.

Burton, 19, is coming off two impressive matches in California last weekend. She recorded 11 kills in 13 attempts for a personal best .769 hitting percentage in a win over Cal State Dominguez Hills, then followed up with a career-high 19 kills in a loss to Cal State Los Angeles.

"She could be the best middle blocker UAA ever had," UAA coach Chris Green said of Burton's potential. "At times she just looks invincible."

For now, Burton is still susceptible to the occasional letdown. A day prior to her two strong matches, Burton recorded a negative hitting percentage to go with nine errors in a loss to Cal State San Bernardino.

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The poor play was in part to blame on the pair of tough middle blockers playing for the opposition, Green said. But he also said he would like to see Burton become more consistent, along with improving her defense and passing skills.

Green said consistency usually improves as players age, and he is confident Burton will expand her skills, because she is always open to criticism.

Burton is one of the best athletes on the team, with one of the best jumping abilities. And Green thinks she can start jumping even higher with the proper offseason weight training program, something Burton has learned more about working as a fitness trainer at The Alaska Club last summer.

"I see a big jump in her from her freshman year to sophomore year," Green said. "She seems very excited to be at practice every day. She loves the sport and it's pretty obvious."

The 5-foot-11 Burton has been a middle blocker since she started playing volleyball as a freshman at Chugiak High. She never thought she would be suited to the position because she was always one of the shortest girls in her grade school. It wasn't until she hit ninth and 10th grades that her growth spurts hit.

Since she started playing at UAA last season, Burton said her Facebook page has attracted a following of young, local volleyball players. They leave lots of encouraging messages on her wall, and the relationship with those fans has become one of her favorite aspects of playing in her home state.

"Just being able to know there are local girls that look up to me is nice," Burton said.

The biology major said she can also hear her fans cheering for her at matches, as long as she isn't locked in the zone.

"I hear them, but they're muted," she said. "I am trying to stay focused on the game."

Burton said the Seawolves (4-4, 0-0 GNAC) are prepared for a tough match against Western Oregon (1-3, 0-0 GNAC), a team they've beaten in three of the past four meetings, with each team winning a home match last season. The overall series between the teams dates back to 1981, with each team winning 11 times. UAA claimed four-set victories in the last two meetings in Anchorage.

"Western Oregon is a great opponent," Burton said. "As long as we stay consistent, as we've been doing, we should do just fine."

Reach Jeremy Peters at jpeters@adn.com or 257-4335.

By JEREMY PETERS

Anchorage Daily News

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